Beast King
by Kittycara
Summary: Fang thought her life was bad after he father disappeared, but now she has to deal with giant monsters, rusty tools, a horned man with a dangerous aura, and, worst of all, SCHOOL. Will Fang be able to keep up with her new life and discover why her father went missing? Based on Rune Factory 2.


The storm was vicious. Lightning ran rampant through the sky, thunder following in a booming roar. The windows shook violently, threatening to shatter from the force of the brutal winds.

Amidst the noise, Xavier stood still, clinging to the table. He was scared, more than he cared to admit. He knew that the storm was the best time to do what he needed to do. Still, more than the storm, he worried about his family. He didn't want to leave them alone, but if his memories were true…

_Gods, _he thought wearily. He had gotten so used to his new life that he had half hoped his memories would never return. In the middle of the storm, however, part of it had. What he now knew disturbed him, chilling him to the bone. _Still, what choice do I have?_

A rustling noise startled him. He whirled around to see a mop of disheveled orange hair pop up from the back corner.

"Mm, Pa?" His daughter was half asleep, yawning as she detangled herself from an old blanket. "Wha' time?" She yawned again, seemingly undisturbed by the storm. Her sharp snaggletooth, the one that had earned Fang her name, gleamed as lightning flashed.

Xavier clutched at his chest, his heart almost leaping out of his chest. "Fang, what are you doing down here? Why aren't you up in bed?"

Fang gave him a sleepy smile. "Hatchin' eggs," she said. She moved her blanket enough to show two big eggs wrapped together.

Xavier stared a moment, completely baffled, until he remembered that one of his Cluckadoodles had hidden some eggs from him, showing them only after they had hatched into chicks. He chuckled at his daughter's mistake. "Fang, those kind of eggs don't hatch. They are only good for cooking."

Fang frowned, staring at the eggs with sleepy eyes. "Wha's the diff'rence?"

"Ask the Cluckadoodles sometime," the man said jokingly. Remembering that his daughter actually _could_ understand monsters like she did people, he quickly revised, "Uh, on second thought, ask your mom in a few years."

Fang grumbled and yawned, picking up the eggs and walking into the kitchen. Xavier watched as she opened the refrigerator doors and placed the eggs back inside. His daughter was small, but she looked so much like Cecilia, especially from behind. Her hair was a vivid orange that was a near mirror copy of his wife's, save for the unruliness he was sure had come from him. Seeing Fang walk towards the stairs, he came to a decision.

"Fang? Can you do me a favor, sweetie?" Xavier smiled as she nodded and blinked sleepily. "I'm going away for a while. Can you take care of all the monsters in the barn for me? Just until I come back."

_That_ woke up his daughter. "Pa, Ma said she don't want me in the barn alone."

"'Doesn't,' not 'don't,'" Xavier corrected automatically. He had gotten used to his daughter's broken way of speaking, but hearing those two words mixed up bothered him for some reason. "And it'll be okay. Unlike me, you can understand the monsters, and they all like you." He smiled as widely as he could. "Fang, can you do this for me?"

Fang frowned as her little five-year-old brain worked as fast as it could. She bit her lip, but said, "Okay, Pa. But you gotta come back as soon as you can."

"Okay, Fang. I will."

"Promise?" Fang stared at him, her slitted brown eyes boring into him.

"I promise," he replied, his heart sinking. A boom of thunder nearly drowned out his answer. He hoped that would be a promise he could keep. Fang walked up the steps, seemingly satisfied. "Fang?" he called out quietly. She stopped and looked down at him. "Tell your mom, don't-" he choked out, throat tightening, "Don't give up."

Fang nodded again, not noticing how strange her father was acting. She plodded up the steps, thinking nothing of crawling into her warm bed.

Xavier walked to the door and opened it, wincing as the wind blew through and scattered some papers he had carelessly left on the writing desk. Steeling himself, he shut the door behind him looked at the sky, completely dark with storm clouds. Lighting flashed, streaking through the darkness and lighting his path for a few moments.

"I'll come back," the man said, not sure whom he was declaring to. "I'll protect my family, and come back safe to them."


End file.
